A headlight device for a vehicle for producing light bundles with difference characteristics has at least one headlight having a plurality of headlight units, light means including a plurality of light sources with at least one light source provided for each of the headlight units, each of the light sources produces a light bundle with at least one characteristic, the headlight units being simultaneously operatable in various combinations, at least one of the headlight units being formed so that it produces a light bundle with at least two different characteristics.
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1. A headlight device for a vehicle for producing light bundles with difference characteristics, comprising at least one headlight having a plurality of headlight units; light means including a plurality of light sources with at least one light source provided for each of said headlight units, each of said light sources produces a light bundle with a least one characteristic, said headlight units being simultaneously operatable in various combinations, at least one of said headlight units being formed so that it produces a light bundle with at least two different characteristics, said at least one headlight unit being formed so that it produces alternatingly a light bundle with a low beam characteristic and a light bundle with a high beam characteristic, said at least one headlight unit being also formed so that a course of the light bundle produced by at least one headlight unit is changeable in a horizontal direction to adjust the light bundle emitted by said at least one headlight unit to the course of a roadway, said at least one headlight unit comprising means for detecting the course of the roadway and an adjusting element for turning said at least one headlight unit about a substantially vertically extending axis.
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The present invention relates to a headlight device for a vehicle for producing light bundles having different characteristics.
One of such headlight devices is disclosed for example in the German patent document DE 43 13 914 A1. This headlight device has several headlight units which produce correspondingly each light bundle with a predetermined characteristic. The headlight units are simultaneously operable in various combinations. For each characteristic of the light bundle, a separate headlight unit is provided, through which a light bundle with only one characteristic is produced. This requires a great manufacturing expense for the headlight device and moreover a great space consumption for accommodation of all headlight units.
Accordingly, it is an object of present invention to provide a headlight device for vehicles of the above mentioned general type, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated in a headlight device, in which at least one of the headlight units is formed so that light bundles with at least two different characteristics can be produced by the at least one headlight unit.
The headlight device in accordance with the present invention has the advantage that the number of the headlight units which is required for producing the light bundles with different characteristics can be reduced, and as a result the manufacturing expenses and the space consumption are reduced as well.
In accordance with anotherfeature of present invention at least one headlight unit is formed so that it produces alternatingly a light bundle with a low beam characteristic or a light bundle with a high beam characteristic. Thus, only one headlight unit is required.
In accordance with still a further feature of present invention, at least one headlight unit has a screen device with which it is possible to change illumination of the close region in front of the vehicle by the light bundle produced by the headlight unit, so that the illumination intensity in the close region can be weakened by the screen device. With this construction, it is possible to avoid a blinding of the opposite traffic in the event of wet streets.
In accordance with still a further feature of the present invention, the headlight unit is formed so that the course of the light bundle is produced by it is changeable in a horizontal direction. Thereby the direction of the light bundle emitted by the headlight unit can be adjusted to the course of the roadway or corresponding operational conditions of the vehicle.
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, at least one headlight unit is formed so that it produces a concentrated light bundle for illumination a distant region in front of the vehicle. Thereby an increased illumination of the distant region in front of the vehicle is possible.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the headlight unit is formed so that the course of the light bundle produced by it can be changeable in a horizontal and/or vertical direction. This allows adaptation of the direction of the light bundle so that with low beam light the distant region under the bright-dark limit and with high beam light the distant region above the dark-bright limit is provided.
Still another feature of the present invention is that at least one headlight unit is formed so that it produces a light bundle oriented at one side, with which a substantially lateral region in front of the vehicle is illuminated. This embodiment makes possible an improved illumination, in particular over a curve travel.
Still another feature of present invention is that the headlight unit produces a light bundle oriented at one side, with which a lateral region is illuminated, which extends outwardly beyond the light bundle produced by the headlight unit with the low beam characteristic, or the characteristic for high beam with the illuminated region having a course which is changed in the horizontal direction. In this construction, with a small number of headlight units, it is possible to improve the illumination during driving over curves with a small curve radius and with a great curve radius.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
An inventive headlight device for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle operates for producing light bundles with different characteristics. The headlight device has at least two headlights 10 arranged in a known manner at the front end of the vehicle.
The headlight 10 has several headlight units 12, 14, 16 which produce the light bundles with different characteristics. The characteristics of the light bundle include their course in horizontal and/or vertical direction, their bright-dark limit, their range width, and illumination intensity distribution to be produced by them. In order to maintain a low number of the headlight units 12, 14, 16 at least one of the headlight units 12, 14, 16 is formed so that by its light bundle at least two different characteristics can be produced.
The headlight 10 has a headlight unit 12 which is formed so that selectively at least one light unit with a low beam characteristic, for example a low beam light, and at least one light bundle with a high beam characteristic can be produced.
The light bundle produced by the headlight unit 12 with a characteristic for high beam illuminations a region 87 of the measuring screen 80. In the region 87 furthermore several isolux lines 88 are identified. In a zone 88 around the point HV the highest illumination intensity is available. The region 87 has no pronounced bright-dark limit.
An adjusting device 29 engages the lamp carrier 25 eccentrically to the turning axis 26. It is used for turning the lamp carrier 25 with the light source 21 about the axis 26. The adjusting device 29 can be formed for example as an electric motor, which displaces the rod engaging on the lamp carrier 25 via a transmission. The electric motor can be formed for example as a stepper motor. The adjusting device 29 can alternatively be formed for example as an electric motor, through which the rod engaging the lamp carrier 25 can be displaced. Furthermore, alternatively it is also possible to form the adjusting device 29 as a hydraulic or pneumatic drive for displacement of the rod which engages the lamp carrier 25.
With the adjusting device 29, the lamp carrier 25 with the light source 21 held in it, is movable between one end position for low beam light and one or several positions for high beam light. In
The light bundle produced by the headlight unit 12 with the light source 21 in its end position for high beam light illuminates the measuring screen 80 of
It can be also provided that the lamp carrier 25 with the light source 21 is turnable into one or several intermediate position between the end position of the low beam light and the end position for the high beam light.
The characteristic of the light bundle produced by the headlight 12 can be changed so that starting from the end position for the low beam light toward the end position of the high beam light the characteristic changes from the characteristic for the low beam light to the characteristic to the high beam light so that the region illuminated by the light bundle on the measuring screen 80 is displaced upwardly, the bright-dark limit is less pronounced, and the maximum of the illumination intensity is higher. The turning of the lamp carrier 25 with the light source 21 can be performed for example in dependence from the speed of the vehicle. With increasing speed, the lamp carrier 25 with the light source 21 can be turned further toward the end position for the high beam light. This can be preformed for example during travel on a roadway without an opposite traffic, which can cause a blinding.
The headlight unit 12 shown in
The screen 33 can be formed light-impermeable. It is movable between a position in which it extends in the beam path of the light bundle reflected by the reflector 30, and a position in which it does not extend or extends less far into the path of beam of the light bundle reflected by the reflector 30. The screen 32 can be turnable for example by an adjusting element 35 around an axle 36. Alternatively, the screen 33 can be arranged stationarily, and can have a changeable light permeability. The screen 33 is switchable between a condition with a high light permeability and a condition with a low light permeability. In the operation of the headlight 12 for the low beam light the screen 33 extends in the path of beam of the light bundle reflected by the reflector 30 or located in the condition of lower light permeability. With the screen 30 a part of the light bundle reflected by the reflector 30 is screened, and the light bundle passing on the screen 33 and through the lens 32 has a bright-like limit. With the light bundle produced by the headlight unit 12 with the characteristic of the low beam light, the region 82 of the measuring screen 80 of
In the operational condition for the high beam light, the screen 33 is turned out at least partially from the path of beam of the light bundle reflected by the reflector 30 or located in its condition with high light permeability, so that a greater part of the light bundle reflected by the reflector 30 passes through the lens 32 and can exit from the headlight unit 12. With the light bundle produced by the headlight unit 12 with the characteristic of the high beam light, the region 27 of the measuring screen 80 of
With the use of gas discharge lamp as the light source 21 or 31 for the headlight unit 12, an electrical pre-switching device 18 is needed for its operation. It serves for ignition of the gas discharge lamp 21 and after ignition guarantees a stable operation of the gas discharge lamp 21. It can be provided that the electrical power with which the gas discharge lamp 21 is operated with the pre-switching device 18 can be changeable, so that the light current emitted by the gas discharge lamp 21 can be changed. For example, for a basic illumination, the gas discharge lamp is operated with relatively low power, for example approximately 32 watt, for a highway illumination with a higher power for example substantially 35 watt, and for a speed way illumination or for high beam with a further increased power for example substantially 38 watt.
The headlight unit 12 in accordance with the first or second embodiment moreover can have a screen device 19, by which a part of the produced light bundle can be screened at least partially, by which lower zones of the region 89 are illuminated. The lower zones of the region 82 correspond to the close region in front of the vehicle. The screening device 19 can be formed for example as a light-impermeable screen which is movable between a position in which it extends in a path of beam of the light bundle reflected by the reflector 20 or 30 or it extends in the path of beam between the light source 21, 31 and the reflector 20, 30 and a position in which it is arranged outside of the path of beam. Alternatively the screen device 19 can be arranged stationarily and can have a changeable light permeability. When the close region must be illuminated intensely, the screen device 19 is located in a condition of high light permeability, and when the close region must be illuminated weaker the screen device 19 is located in a position of lower light permeability. A weakening of the illumination of the close region is preferable for example for wet streets, for avoiding a blinding of the counter traffic. The condition of the street can be detected by a sensor device, and the weakening of the illumination of the close region can be performed automatically.
In the operational condition of the headlight device for high beam the light bundle produced by the headlight unit bundle of the headlight unit 14 lifts the illuminated region and displaces to the center of the measuring screen 80 as shown in the broken lines in
The headlight unit 14 can be formed as the headlight unit 12 of the first and second embodiment and can have a movable light source 31 in correspondence with
The regions 92, 93 extend in a horizontal direction for example approximately 100-600 to the right or to the left of the vertical central plane VV. In the vertical direction the regions 92, 93 have substantially the same extension as the region 82 which is illuminated by the light bundle produced by the headlight unit 12 with the characteristic for low beam light. The headlight unit 16 is provided for improving the illumination in front of the vehicle during traveling over a curve. When the vehicle drives over a right curve, the headlight 16 is turned on, with which the right region 92 is illuminated, and when the vehicle travels over a left curve, the headlight unit 16 is turned on, with which the left region 93 is illuminated. The detection of the course of the roadway can be performed by one or several sensor devices, for example by a sensor device which detects a steering angle or by a video sensor device which detects the ambiance in front of the vehicle. Moreover, the course of the roadway in front of the vehicle can be determined by a navigation system which processes the information about the street network and the actual position of the vehicle. A turning on of the headlight unit 16 can be performed also by actuation of traveling direction indicator of the vehicle to achieve an improved illumination in the curved direction.
The headlight unit 16 can be subdivided into two or several headlight subunits, with which the light bundles with differently strong lateral orientation are produced. For example, the headlight unit 16 can have a headlight subunit for producing a light bundle which illuminates a region of substantially 10-40°C of horizontal extension near the vertical central plane W and a central headlight subunit which produces a light bundle for illumination of a region of substantially 30-60°C of a horizontal extension near the vertical central plane VV. Depending on a curve radius, the suitable headlight subunit of the headlight unit 16 can be turned on. With a greater curve radius the headlight subunit is turned on, which illuminates the region of substantially 10°C-40°C0 and with smaller curve radius the headlight subunit is turned on which illuminates the region of substantially 30°C-60°C, or both headlight subunits are turned on.
A circuit connection of the headlight unit 16 to the headlight unit 12 can be performed for example automatically at low speed, which is for example the case in the city traffic, for improving the lateral illumination of the vehicle. For this purpose the headlight unit 16 of both headlights of the vehicle are turned on. A turning on of the headlight unit 16 can be performed further in the case of wet streets during raining, during snowfall or during fog, which can be performed automatically with the use of a suitable sensor device for detection of these conditions. Moreover, a turning on of the headlight 16 can be also performed in the case of a counter traffic, for improving the lateral illumination in front of the vehicle and thereby facilitating the orientation of the vehicle steering.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the headlight device it is provided that the headlight unit 12 is formed so that the headlight unit or at least its reflector 20 of the first embodiment or the structural group composed of the reflector 30, the lense 32 and the screen 32 is turnable about the substantially vertically extending axis, analogously to the headlight unit 16 of FIG. 6. In addition, a headlight unit 16 is formed so that it produces a light bundle which illuminates the measuring screen 80 only at one side of the vertical central plane VV. Thereby by turning, the region 82 illuminated by the light bundle produced by the headlight unit 12 can be displaced in the horizontal direction by a predetermined distance to the left and to the right. The turning angle of the headlight unit 12 can be limited, for example to substantially 5-20°C, while the turning provides an improved illumination in front of the vehicle during driving over a right or left curve with reflectively great curve radius. With the light bundle produced by the headlight unit 16, a region is illuminated which extends in a horizontal direction of substantially 20-60°C near the vertical central plane VV. The headlight unit 16 during turning over a curve with a small radius is circuit-connected to the headlight unit 12. Turning-on of the headlight unit 16 can be also performed when the travel direction indicator in the vehicle is actuated, for reaching an improved illumination in a curved direction.
The light bundle produced by the headlight unit 16 illuminates a lateral region which extends outwardly over the region illuminated by the light bundle produced by the headlight unit 12.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a headlight device for vehicle for producing light bundle with different characteristics, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.
Boebel, Doris, Hamm, Michael, Hogrefe, Henning, Woerner, Bernhard
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Dec 14 1999 | WOERNER, BERNHARD | Robert Bosch GmbH | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 010677 | /0933 | |
Dec 14 1999 | HAMM, MICHAEL | Robert Bosch GmbH | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 010677 | /0933 | |
Dec 14 1999 | HOGREFE, HENNIG | Robert Bosch GmbH | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 010677 | /0933 | |
Dec 14 1999 | BOEBEL, DORIS | Robert Bosch GmbH | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 010677 | /0933 | |
Dec 21 1999 | Robert Bosch GmbH | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
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